A life's Amount of Words
by ancient midnight
Summary: 3. Kerchak's thoughts at the end of his life, when he's been shot. not angst, just fatherly.


BeeBee's girl sorry it took so long. I tried to find the movie, or even this one part no luck. This has taken more than a month to actually write, tell me if it's met expectations or not. It's not perfect, but really, I tried my best.

If I am off on a few minor details, please let me know. I haven't seen the first movie in years.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tarzan

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The pink thing laughed. The sound was strongly victorious to Kerchak. From where Kerchak was, he could see Kala in one of the traps.

Kala cried out to him, reaching through the bars to get freedom. Kerchak could clearly understand that there was no way that she or the other ones could get free. If he could only reach them! He knew he would have the power to rip apart the odd contraptions. If he had more time, he probably would be devastated to realize that his worst fear had come true. He had failed them, not once but twice! When he let that Tarzan in, and when he had let that pink thing stay when his own kind had come for him.

Tarzan may have been a member of the family but he had betrayed them, just like everyone had known he would. All the elephants, the other members of the family, outside gorillas . . . Kerchak had given him a chance and a place in the family and the -Tarzan had betrayed them. Killed them. Briefly Kerchak wondered if Terk and Tantor were faring any better, they had chosen to follow Tarzan. Perhaps Tarzan was keeping them safe.

Either way, they were already out to sea and out of his hands. Kerchak couldn't save them, but he could save his family here. He picked out the biggest-the leader, between all the others trying to get ropes around him and bring him down, this one was standing back, laughing. Good, it made him easier to find.

Kerchak tried to convince himself, there was a chance (a small chance) that the children would run off into the woods, maybe a mother, probably a small one. Naru-the small mother in the cage with the little ones. She would take them to another family. Overall though, Kerchak knew it was useless. He kept lunging at the man, like any other pack or family, if he brought down the leader, the rest would scurry with only what they could carry. More ropes dragged him back, more of them were pulling on them. Kerchak could see two men taking the babies first, with Kala.

He lunged for the last time, powering all the strength he had left. He nearly made, he nearly had him, but his advesary was now out of the way. And Kerchak was finally brought down. He heard the triumphant yells crashing with the terrified screams of his family. His heart broke. It was too much to know that he couldn't do anything. It hurt even more that it was a member of the family that did this. Knowingly or unknowingly his hole chest ached with the loss.

In the distance, Kerchak could hear something coming. Unable to make it out yet, he perked his head to the sound. Hope and relief flooded them all as they recognized that ridiculous racket that came with the Tarzan. He had never felt prouder of any member of the family, than seeing Tarzan come back. Kerchak threw off the ropes, the men having dropped them in surprise.

As he had planned, the freed mothers and little ones ran for the cover of the forest, and Kerchak protected them. He kept a lookout for his mate, but didn't see her among the others. Tarzan was keeping the leader busy, a load off of Kerchak's shoulders. He had enough to fight off the others.

"Tarzan!" Kerchak's head snapped to her, clear across the other trees. The intruders started heading that way, lifting her up. Kerchak and Tarzan both chased them down, trying to get to the alpha female.

Kerchak lost sight of her as they ran through a thick wall of vines. The leader stood in front, giving them the chance to get away. Tarzan reached him first, getting him out of the way. A strange excitement and pleasure filled Kerchak when his family was finally safe. Once Kala and the remaining ones (including an extra female) were safe in the under-bush, Kerchak hesitated to join was pleased when the other men continued on out of his territory. Tarzan seemed to be winning in his odd way of fighting, his heart soared watching the odd dance.

He had come back. Tarzan obviously cared for this family. Kerchak wanted to tell Tarzan that he could come back that it would make him proud to have that member of the family back where he belonged. It didn't seem possible now, if he stayed much longer the ones that ran off would surely come back. It almost made Kerchak sad to know that any minute they would be back to take his son with them. And by his own choice.

Where were they? He knew they would be back any minute; any family would come back when they realized that their leader was still behind. Surely though, they would not harm one of their own, afterall none of THEM were hurt or nearly kidnapped. Kerchak couldn't wait any longer, he had to lead the family to safety.

He actually had his back to them when Tarzan fell. He more felt the harsh impact then he even felt it. The tree root thumped, something Kerchak had never felt around Tarzan, who didn't even have the strength to lift a female gorilla. That would probably leave marks on the bald one. It always did.

Kerchak only planned to step in and scare the bad one off. That gun, the one that Tarzan said kills animals instantly, changed his plans. Even never having seen it before, he recognized it from the story. Tarzan had said it was a cold, dark and loud thing. He had said that once you heard the noise, whatever was hit had already died.

He kicked Tarzan and struggled to pull the gun out of the tree root. Hit with a strong sense of deja vu, Kerchak was running to Tarzan once again. He didn't know how these things worked, or if he could even save Tarzan when the man had his sights on him. He ran into them anyways, and followed his instincts to throw himself inbetween his family and the threat.

The noise was even louder up close, if that was possible. It rattled his head and continued ringing in his ears, confusing him. He fell back more out of shock and confusion than injury. He didn't make it. Kerchak could still see the ground, and the trees as he shook his head. Tarzan, that's right, where was Tarzan? From what he knew of guns, Tarzan must be dead. Kerchak looked around, trying to find where Tarzan was last. The euphoria that Kerchak had been victorious froze, he was instead stuck with the terrifying realization that he was too late. He could smell that Tarzan and the man had ran threw the vines together, but he couldn't make sense of the direction. His head still swam with all the ringing in his ears. Kerchak didn't even know if Tarzan was injured or not.

He knew that he himself was injured though. Again, not knowing much about this weapon, the gorilla could only hope that whatever it did hadn't reached Tarzan. He hoped that he had been able to stop whatever it was about that stick that hurt others.

His ears hadn't completely stopped ringing when he heard the second shot ring out. His heart broke all over again. By the time his head stopped spinning, he was too tired to find him.

"Kala," he called. She was by his side instantly, she hadn't been far off then. "Where's Tarzan?"

She looked up, into the tallest branches of the tree, "He climbed up."

Kerchak reached to her, gently pawing her hands and her face soothingly. He grunted in what he hoped was a consoling way. He hadn't done anything gentle in years. . . since Tarzan first died as a small child. Kala had been so heartbroken, oddly more so than she was now. She was looking at him so caringly. She had always known how much he loved her. More than life, more than his life. She touched his ears lovingly, not scared that she was losing both males in her life. She would take the family and they would live on, that's what she was promising him with each stroke.

Thunder rolled, Kala smiled at the same time he did. What a proper send off. There had been thunder when Kerchak stepped up as the Silverback, and had taken Kala as his mate. Kerchak began to feel more tired. He didn't fight the feeling, and it quickily became exhausting to take each breath.

He still managed to look as he heard someone coming. Kala was ready to run off into the under bush, knowing there was nothing to keep her there. The leaves separated and Tarzan stepped out. When he saw them he hurried to their side, trying to help. He didn't make this a disaster- that was new. Kerchak did not want to part on disastrous terms, all considered. Tarzan leaned over him, and Kerchak had an odd sense of deja vu. Both his boys jumping or climbing over him, trying to wake him up, or sneak over without waking him up respectively.

Tarzan looked so worried, like the son he was scared for the caring father Kerchak was supposed to be. Kerchak had so much he wanted to say. . . sorry being the first and largest of it. He knew he was leaving fast, and he fought it. At least one thing, out of everything Kerchak wanted to say, he HAD to have at least one go out. To be heard by the son he was leaving behind.

Kerchak spoke his last words, hoping that Tarzan understood everything he was trying to say. Tarzan cried, and Kerchak wanted to tell him he understood now. He understood his son now, but he was out of time.

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I hope this got some ideas flowing for you. I will probably be redoing this a few times, but it will not be changing much.

I hope you enjoyed it, and please review.


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